Pioneers

A hip-hop pioneer is a person who was influential in the early development of hip-hop either as a DJ, MC, break-dancer, or graffiti artist. Select one person who is considered a hip-hop pioneer to further research their life history. Write a brief synopsis of how this person was influential in the development of hip-hop. Include relevant information such as family background, race, ethnicity, language, citizenship, class, and gender. Discuss what specific events or moments in this individual’s biography led to influential markers in hip-hop history. Consider in this summary, how individuals, as agents, directly influenced hip-hop as a social phenomenon.

Your argument in this paper is to demonstrate how the individual you selected was influential in the development of hip-hop and that they are a pioneer.

You may select a hip-hop pioneer from course readings, films, and lectures. If there is someone whom you would like to write about who is not in course readings, films, or lectures, please see me for approval. You may also select a hip-hop pioneer who stood in a role outside of the four elements such as a producer, journalist, scholar, activist or documentarian, however check with me prior to making your selection as I do not want you to deviate far from the already large pool of hip-hop pioneers within the four-element paradigm. For an individual to qualify as a hip-hop pioneer (for the purpose of this assignment) they must have initiated their career in hip-hop before 1985.

Papers should be 5-6 double-spaced pages, standard one-inch margins with full references/citations. You may use either APA or MLA citation styles (either footnotes, endnotes or within text citations) as long as you are consistent in your writing style.

BEST PIONEER BIOGRAPHICAL ESSAYS FROM ANTHROPOLOGY OF HIP HOP 2006-2009 (all students have authorized the publication of their essays, any reference to these works should be cited by author’s name, paper title, and Anthropology of Hip-Hop in a Global Perspective)

*Assignment dates are non-negotiable with the exception of extraordinary circumstances such as a personal or family medical emergency (in which case official documentation to the effect must be provided).

Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated. Plagiarism entails use of previously published or unpublished works not of our own authorship utilized without citation or reference to original work. Students found engaging in plagiarism will receive a grade of F in the course and will be reported to CLA. If you are unclear about the university’s definition of and policy on plagiarism, please consult the following website: http://cisw.cla.umn.edu/plagiarism.html

Course Summary:

The course covers the historical trajectory of hip-hop from its inception in the post-civil rights era of New York City during1970’s in the form of four elements - break dancing, rap, turntablism, and graffiti art - to its contemporary identity as a global youth phenomenon. The historical development of hip-hop is accompanied with the analysis of scholarly works ranging from contemporary academic research to old-school rap lyrics. Literature, lectures, legal cases, films and multi-media projects individually analyze each element and question the four-element paradigm that defines hip-hop today. The course looks at the role gender, class, and race play in the use of hip-hop as a tool for social change while simultaneously acting as a corporate marketing device. Throughout the semester the class aims to re-structure stereotypes and offer a deeper perspective into how hip-hop defines the identities of individuals as well as the consciousness of masses.

Anthropology of Hip-Hop breaks down the course into nine distinct sections: (1) Legendary Roots, (2) “Hip-Hop!” the Four Elements and Pop Culture, (3) The New Revolution & Gangster Rap, (4) Rap and the Law, (5) Race & Class Politics of Hip-Hop, (6) Turntablism & Production, (7) Bling Bling: Hip-Hop Consumerism, (8) Gender/Sexuality, and (9) Global Hip-Hop. Guest speakers and local hip-hop artists are incorporated into the course so as to contribute to an ongoing dialogue between academia and the community.

Dr. Melisa “Emetrece” Riviere

Dr. Melisa "Emetrece" Riviere is an anthropologist and Latina hip-hop audiovisual director, producer, and scholar. In 2010 she received her doctorate in Anthropology from the University of Minnesota as a MacArthur Scholar. Her research on the globalization of hip-hop and its local expressions between Cuba and Puerto Rico utilized music and audiovisual production as a unique disciplinary methodology. The same year, in Havana, the multimedia productions from her dissertation received the prestigious Lucas Award from the Cuban Institute for Radio and Television.

The artistic name Emetrece originated many years earlier in 1991 as a nom d' plume for anonymous publications by Melisa Riviere, written out as M13. her name containing 13 letters and with the initials MR could be scripted in such a way to appear as an M13. She later altered the writing of her name as "Emetrece" so as to identify with her Latina origin and target the Latino community. The word strategically includes 4 letters ‘E,’ each of which metaphorically relates to an element of hip-hop – DJ, graffiti art, break dance, and lyricism/rap.

Dr. Riviere has worked with Songo Sounds, Time Machine Squad, and The Lab Studios in Puerto Rico, as well as The Cuban Institute of Music, the Agency for Rap, La Fabri K, the Hermanos Saíz Association, Casas de Cultura, and Real70 Studios in Cuba. Her work on either island includes documenting hip-hop conferences, festivals, and live performances; leading keynote talks and pedagogical workshops; and producing musical recordings as well as video clips with Anónimo Consejo, Tego Calderón, Doble Filo, Los Aldeanos, SieteNueve, Intifada, Silvito el Libre, Escuadrón Patriota and Obsesión amongst others.

As a pioneer hip-hop scholar Dr. Riviere teaches courses on hip-hop for Anthropology, Global Studies, and History departments as visiting faculty at various universities and college campuses. She has published in a wide range of academic journals and popular culture magazines. Her audiovisual ethnographic publications have appeared in albums released by major music labels such as Atlantic Records and showcased in film festivals such as the Langston Hughes African American Film Festival.

In the role of co-founding director of the annual international summit titled “B-Girl Be: A Celebration of Women in Hip-Hop,” Dr. Riviere advocates for the empowerment of women and youth within the art movement. Merging academia with entrepreneurship, in 2003 she founded Emetrece Productions, an audio-visual production company and independent music label that focuses on "edu-tainment" to cross pollinate both fields and offer a new approach to the cultural industries

Dr. Riviere’s two decades of multimedia production, hip-hop education and “raptivism” has received the attention of media giants such as Reuters, Associated Press and CNN.